Tails From Rainbow Bridge: Welcoming a Relunctant Jacques

 

Jacques didn’t want to go.

          As his heartbeats grew to a precious few, his lungs were failing, he was running out of steam, and his parents were making their final grim preparations, Jacque pled to the angels, including his sister, Princess, new to the Bridge, for what we all want at the end: One more day.

          Knowing her brother’s passing would destroy their mom Princess was tempted to grant his request, but knowing her proximity the situation may cloud her judgment she asked me for advice.

          I have received similar requests from Pocket and River Song. I wanted to grant them, but knew giving a soul one more means, after the sunrise, further requests for a single day.

          The Princess had to tell her brother not because it would only prolong everyone’s suffering.

          The next day their heartbroken mom took all of Jacque’s pain, his fear, his anger, his suffering, on herself, freeing him from his failing body and sending him to the River of Life.

          For all of Jacques’ suffering to truly be gone he had to, after climbing out of the river, Jacques needed to cross the Bridge to complete his transformation, like how you restart a computer to complete an update,

          When Jacques came out of the river he was still upset that he had to leave his beloved mortal life. All his friends were lined up across the water ready to give him a hero’s welcome. Jacques looked at us, then down the river, from whence he had come, unsure which way to go.   

It is forbidden for an angel to cross bridge. If we try, we end up right where we started. But there are exceptions to the rule. An angel can go back to bring a spirit to the immortal side and keep the spirit from walking the Earth as a ghost. Without having to ask, the Princess crossed to help Jaques.

We watched them, brother, and sister, walking then stopping, and talking on the other side of the river. We knew everything that Jaques said was true. It wasn’t fair, his mom needed him, she hadn’t healed from Princess’ passing, all true, and unpersuasive, because this was the deal we made when we were created. We would be one of the inside animals, we would get the best of everything, but not for long, in the blink of an eye, really, because we had to move along, so many dogs could experience the gift that is our parents.

Finally, Jacque and Princess crossed the Bridge, and all the e pain and worry washed away from Jacques. He had finally arrived at his forever home.

And, until it is his mother’s time to do the same, he will repay his mom by being a dear, loving angel, and she will never walk alone.

But his mom won’t see him, or the other dogs who are now angels, because that the price they had to pay for a long life.

I watched Jaques and Princess playing like puppies in the tall grass as the sunset.

I wished his mom could see it, and maybe she could, out of the corner of her eye. But the rational mind dismisses it, until the day we all walk on the other side of the Bridge and are truly live happier ever after.